<p>D applied to a range of schools and has good options at her safety/match schools. The reach schools that she chose are of the HYPS variety and so statistically we are looking at at least some rejections on April 1. </p>
<p>Objectively, she knows that the chances of being admitted are low but I don't think she really has accepted that she is not likely to be admitted. </p>
<p>Anyone have any good coping strategies? Anything that helped your kids prepare for rejection by the top schools? And if anyone knows of any good books or articles about this, please let me know--D is likely to take someone (anyone!) else's statement about this more seriously than mine!</p>
<p>(I know this post sounds like I don't have faith in my kid's abilities--it's not that--I think she is as qualified as most kids who apply to these schools. But these schools cannot accept all of the qualified kids who apply . . .).</p>
<p>My son is similar to your d, in that he applied to a lot of schools (15), including some real reaches. Of the 15, he already knows that he's been accepted at 5 (two EA, one safety, one of his [original] top choices, and just yesterday found out he's being considered for a special program at our state's flagship public university [so assuming he's going to be admitted there]). </p>
<p>But, still, he has to wait until April 1 or thereabouts to see all the cards that are out on the table. And, since finaid will play a big part in where he eventually ends up, there is that very important piece to consider, also.</p>
<p>There were the naysayers, both on this board and others, about applying to so many places. It made sense for my son, though. </p>
<p>How are we preparing him for April 1? I have to say that he has a remarkably good attitude about it all. We knew from the first wonderful EA acceptance back in December that his application didn't have a "fatal flaw." He's also very busy with his extracurricular activities and a required senior project. He knows he's going to have good choices come April, and I've also made sure that he realizes that there is no one perfect place. He could be happy and thrive at many different places. </p>
<p>I think I'm more nervous about it all than he is!</p>
<p>My son applied to 4 schools and was really in love with one - a top school where we felt he had a good chance of admission. When all was said and done he was waitlisted at his top choice and admitted to the other three. He was quite disappointed at the outcome although he had 3 very nice choices left. I let him mope for couple of days. We talked about what he would need to do if he wanted to try and get off the waitlist, but he didn't have the time or the energy to "reapply". </p>
<p>Ultimately, this board helped in its own way. I read about 3 other students who had been rejected from his #1 but admitted to MIT! That helped him to put things in a bit of better perspective and he moved on. He is quite happy at the school he is currently attending. </p>
<p>Son #1 was also waitlisted at his #1 school. He, too, moped around for a couple of days and then moved on.</p>
<p>I think that there really isn't a way to prepare for the outcome. You can know intellectually that it will probably happen, but when the reality comes, there is an emotional reaction. I think it is best to let your child grieve for a couple of days and then start talking to them about the options they DO have. My experience on these boards is that the kids usually get passed much faster than the parents! If you have a positive attitude about the whole thing, your child will be fine.</p>
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My experience on these boards is that the kids usually get passed much faster than the parents! If you have a positive attitude about the whole thing, your child will be fine.
<p>What I would say is not to have an opinion about any school between now until April 1. Do not talk about "could have" or "would have." I think the toughest thing is most high achievers look at what schools they get into to validate their high school career. I do not believe they get over it faster than we do, they are just better at hiding it than we do. How we response to their disappointment will have an impact on how they feel about themselves.</p>
<p>I got over very quickly that my D1 was not going to HYPS because as an adult I knew it was not going to be the most important thing in her life, but in her very young life they were the first rejections she's ever had. It was very important for my D1 to know I understood how she felt and I was not disappointed in her. If I've had just brushed it off, I think she would have felt worse.</p>
<p>We urged son to apply to wide range (he is an odd student, difficult to predict where he might be accepted) and he did, applying for 16 schools (divided into Big Merit Money/Match/Reach/SuperReach). </p>
<p>Son has 2 acceptances already, with results from another two schools expected mid March. One of the acceptances came with a substantial merit scholarship and he is going to the second for a long weekend to be evaluated for a really fabulous full ride in late March.</p>
<p>I think on April 1 he will receive a range of news-- some acceptances, some rejections, some waitlists. As far as I can tell, he doesn't have his heart set on any particular school. He says he is waiting to see what's going to be avialable for him to choose from before thinking about it anymore. He does seem to be envisioning himself more as a college student-- I don't hear nearly as much talk from him about a gap year these days.</p>
<p>I asked my ds your question, MathildaMae.
He said, "March madness."
He is a guy of few words often, so I will embellish: it's all about college hoops now, and especially in March, as his main distraction from the college-admissions-anticipation craziness. My housefull of kids last night glued to ESPN over the UCONN/Syracuse, then Duke/UNC, men's games is testimony.</p>
<p>Rejection letters in April? He'll deal when the time comes, I suspect. There's always baseball!</p>
<p>I have an opportunity to travel out of the country for a week in March on business--one reason I'm doing it is to take my mind off the whole April 1 thing! Not sure how DS is coping as he can't leave the country!</p>